Le Fantasque class destroyer

The "Le Fantasque" class of six large, very fast destroyers (also referred to as the "Le Malin" class) was ordered under the French naval programme of 1930. They served in World War II for both Vichy France and the Free French Forces.

The original purpose of these large French destroyers, and the earlier "Chacal" class, was to operate with battleship and cruiser forces, although they were not restricted to this. The Italian navy, the Regia Marina, reacted by building the Capitani Romani class cruisers. Those ships that sailed with the Allies were classed as light cruisers.

There were six ships in the class:
*"Le Fantasque" (10, X101, X103, D610)
*"Le Malin" (9, 8, X82, X102, X02, D612), launched 17th August 1933, effectively destroyed at Casablanca, scrapped February 1964
*"Le Terrible" (12, 11, 12, X103, X101, D611), launched 30th November 1933, scrapped June 1962
*"L'Indomptable" (15, 7, X81), launched 7th December 1933, scuttled Toulon 27th November 1942
*"L'Audacieux" (11, 12, 11, X102), launched 15th March 1934, severely damaged at the Battle of Dakar, repaired, sunk 7th May 1943 at Bizerte by Allied bombing
*"Le Triomphant" (8, 9, X83, H02, X104, X04, D613), launched 16th April 1934, stricken December 1954